1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for detecting presence of toxic materials within a sample.
2. Description of the Related Art
Use of mitochondria or sub-mitochondrial particles is well known as a biological analysis instrument for detecting the presence of toxic materials within environmental samples. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,517 discloses (a) suspension of sub-mitochondrial particles having competent mitochondrial enzyme formed from inner membranes of mitochondria, (b) an analysis medium including a substrate in which either a substrate or enzyme reaction product thereof may be detected using a spectroscopic detection method when the analysis medium is transformed by mitochondrial enzymes, and (c) a process of mixing environmental samples in a common vessel. Such a method of analyzing toxic materials within an environmental sample includes determining influences of the sample on enzyme activity within the suspension including sub-mitochondrial particles by measuring the changes in the substrate using spectroscopic measurement.
In U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0059839, a tris-bipyridyl-ruthenium complex ((Ru(bpy)3(II)) is used to induce electrochemiluminescence (“ECL”) by acting as an ECL label. ECL is light emission caused by the response of an electrically stimulated species. Thus, a species which is induced to emit ECL is called an ECL label or an ECL active species.
Conventional methods are mostly used for detecting optical signals. However, methods of analyzing toxic materials by detecting signals other than optical signals are still unknown in the art.